July 14, 2015

In late 2013 the Dyson Foundation engaged in an evaluation process to better understand the effectiveness of the Foundation's Management Assistance Program mini-grants. The goal of the evaluation was to understand the impact of these small grants on the organizations that have received them. We were very pleased to learn that over two-thirds of respondents believed that their organization was stronger as a result of their capacity building project. Overall, this evaluation process affirmed that small grants to support organizational capacity building are an effective use of Dyson Foundation resources.

Thanks to the feedback received from our grantees, a number of possibilities for enhancing the mini-grant program were identified. We are pleased to announce that the enhancements detailed below are now in effect.

Maximum Grant Amount Increased: $12,000 (up from $10,000)

Paying Overhead Costs: applicants may now include overhead costs of up to 12% of the total budget as part of mini-grant project budgets

Follow-Up Implementation Mini-Grants Available: grantees can now apply for follow-up mini-grants of up to $3,000 to implement the results or recommendations of a mini-grant project

New Project Types Added:

Succession Planning

Executive Coaching

Social Media Planning

Advocacy and/or Community Organizing Planning

We very much hope that these changes will further increase the utility and value of the Dyson Foundation's capacity building mini-grants. For more information about these changes, visit the Dyson Foundation's website or contact Jennifer Drake, Program Officer, at jdrake@dyson.org or 845.790.6318.

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NYCON develops and promotes an effective and vibrant charitable nonprofit community throughout New York State. We strengthen organizational capacity, act as an advocate and unifying voice, help to inform philanthropic giving, and conduct research and planning to demonstrate relevance and impact.